With the summer heat beginning to pick up, protests have been taking place in eastern Pakistan over extended power cuts that have limited electricity supply to just a few hours a day, or less in some cases.

Protestors in Punjab Province blocked roads and stormed government offices on March 27 during a fourth day of demonstrations.

A general strike is also under way in the city of Faisalabad.

Shahbaz Sharif, chief minister of Punjab, has threatened a long march on Islamabad to pressure the federal government to resolve the crippling energy crisis.

In recent years, authorities have struggled to handle the soaring electricity needs of Pakistan's 180 million people.

Electricity consumption increases dramatically during the sweltering summers due to greater demand for refrigeration, air conditioning, and crop irrigation.